Built on a sharp curve, Poole station was originally the
terminus of the branch from Broadstone between
the 2nd of December 1872, when it opened, and the 15th of June 1874, when
the line was extended to Bournemouth West
. This line built towards Bournemouth was originally single track, being
doubled in 1885.
From 1888 the new 'direct' route to London was opened via Bournemouth.

The original station buildings were built of brick with large
wooden canopies, however in 1971 the station was re-built using standard
flat roofed concrete BR 'CLASP' buildings.
Later in 1988 the station was again re-built, this time with a rather
futuristic suspended, vaulted roof design - a slight improvement over the
last monstrosity!

There was a large goods yard with numerous sidings and a
large brick built goods shed at the Weymouth end of the station on the up
side. At one stage (about 1941) there was a large Blue Circle Cement depot
built on the site, this was closed down around 1974/75, and since then the
yard has slowly been taken over by car parks and wasteland. All that now
remains are a few sidings for EMU's, engineering vehicles and crippled
stock.

The down platform was double sided and track led from here
down to Poole Quay, a quarter of a mile away. This line ran down West Quay
Road and then along the length of the Quay. This connection was removed on
the 3rd of September 1961.

View of Poole Station looking towards Parkstone - 1960's

Immediately to the east of the station were two level
crossings, both within about a hundred yards. The Towngate Street crossing
was in 1971 replaced by the new Towngate Bridge, however the High Street
level crossing is still in use, although the road is now a pedestrian zone
and the old wooden gates were replaced with modern lifting barriers in 1977.

The High Street crossing gates were controlled by the
Poole 'East' signal box, this brick built building was located on the down
side of the line adjacent to the crossing. The Towngate Road crossing was
controlled by a ground frame.
The station and goods yard area was all controlled by Poole 'West' box,
located opposite the goods yard. Both signal boxes were re-named on the 4th
of September 1949 - East box became Poole'A', and West box Poole 'B'.
The 'A' box was closed on the 15th of November 1977, with the new lifting
barriers being controlled via cctv from the 'B' box. This box is still in
use today.

In September 1941 Between Poole station and Holes Bay
Junction were laid the Poole yard reception sidings, in later years these
have been used for stabling coaching stock, running round of locomotives and
EMU storage between duties.

Grid Ref: 195 SZ 011919

Three quarters of a mile to the north of Poole station was
Holes Bay Junction, this is where the route to Broadstone diverged to the
north and the LSWR main line to Weymouth curved to the west across Holes
Bay. The junction was originally controlled by a signal box in the 'v' of
the junction. this box closed on the 28th of October 1934, when control of
the junction was undertaken by Poole 'B' box using powered points.
During World War One military sidings were opened in 1918 on the up side of
the Broadstone line, just yards from the junction. The sidings were taken
out of use in 1922. The line to Creekmoor and
Broadstone
was singled on the 18th of October 1970, and was finally closed on the 2nd
of May 1977, and the line to Hamworthy Junction and Weymouth is still in
use.